Who Watches the Watchmen?
by moonlightrose91
Summary: Who knew Dan had a sister? She is able to answer the ancient question of who watches the watchmen along with Adrian Veidt, who is so alone after the horrible event he caused. Deserving no pity, a young girl gives it to him, along with hope.
1. Chapter 1

Ok, so I love this movie and would love to read the comic (although the only comics I've ever read are manga and i don't really know if you can consider that a comic). Apparently, Adrian Veidt's sexuality is kinda ambigous. I was reading something over the movie and kinda freaked because he is one of my favorites. If this story doesn't exactly follow the movie, please dont murder me. I watched it enough times to make me sick of it ( despite my love of some of the actors) and i know it's not perfect. My main character's name is an Egyptian goddess for truth, justice, and bascially she was the judge of all good and evil. Adrian explains it all in there. The correct pronunciation is Muh-aht(according to wikipedia, again, please don't murder me!), but for the sake of it just say Mat. I found the latin (or greek, I don't really know) on , so blame them if it's not correct (and maybe me a litle because I did use it). Just, read and enjoy, and comment if you wish. And now, to the story!

* * *

When the superhero came about, a question was asked. It was a conundrum even the smartest could not answer. Many tried, but there was never quite a right answer. And so, through the ages, the question was always asked: Pios tha filatei tus filakes? Who watches the watchmen?

When Maat Dreiberg found out who her brother really was, she nearly crapped herself. This was the guy she had idolized as a kid (him being 10 years older than her), the man who had stolen all her friends hearts, someone she practically worshiped and it was her brother?!?! She just could not believe it. He had invested all the money he had inherited from their parents death into a flying machine, super cool gadgets and he just failed to mention it?

She had discovered it completely by accident of course. Danny had asked her to get something from the basement, and she willingly obliged, going through the wrong door and into a storeroom with all of Nite Owl's stuff. She had frozen in place, calling Danny to come over quickly. He saw that the damage was done and told her his secret.

"You can't tell anyone, Maatty. No one." His voice was stern as they sipped coffee.

"I know, Danny. I wouldn't give this secret up for the world. You mean more to me than anything else. You're all I've got left..." She gazed into her cup, lost in her own melancholy.

"I know. And you can't go running out on me either. Promise?" He grasped her hand, reassuring her he was there to stay.

"On one condition..." A sly look came into her eyes.

"Oh no. I have a bad feeling about this, but go ahead."

"I get to meet everyone." She laughed at the look an Dan's face.

"Oh, nonononono. No." She gave him the puppy dog eyes. "No, Maatty."

"Please? They were only the best things about my childhood and I find out my brother was apart of that and you won't let me meet those idols?"

"No. We are retired, old, and ready for a quite life."

"You've had one for the past 6 years." Her protests were getting harder to ignore.

"You know what I mean, Maat."

"Tell me, did you know Ozymandias?" A dreamy shadow cast itself over Maat's face.

"Why?" He drew out the word with suspicion dripping thickly in it.

"Oh, he was just my favorite. It would be wonderful to meet him. He went public, didn't he? A man by the name of Adrian Vote, Vert, v-v-v-v-" She stammered the letter trying to come up with the right name.

"Veidt?" Danny filled in for her. She snapped her fingers and pointed at him.

"That's it! Adrian Veidt."

"I guess we can go meet him. I have some business with him anyway." She nearly jumped out of her seat to do her happy dance. "But, you can't go swooning all over him first. I need to talk to him. And you stay right by me. No wandering off. Understand?"

"Perfectly." She beamed the word at him with her straight, even white teeth.

"Ok, we'll go see him tomorrow morning. He was always in a better mood then. Time for bed. Now, go!" He shooed her into the guest bedroom where she was staying on her vacation from college.

Danny laughed at his sister's antics. He was a little worried. It wasn't hard to fall in love with her. Well, he would imagine. And Adrian was a bit of a womanizer, if not extremely handsome. No,Adrian was about as old as him. He wouldn't want a girl as young as Maat, but her name would certainly peak his interest. No, Danny wouldn't worry about this. They would only meet the just once. No, he wouldn't worry.

The next morning, Maat got up when a bolt of thunder boomed it's way through her brother's house. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and anyone looking in on her would have thought it the sweetest thing. Maat was not a beauty per say, but what she had worked wonders for her. Her long black hair curled in the humidity of New York, bright stunning green eyes made her face appear intelligent. She had a fine soft bone structure that highlighted soft, rosy cheeks, and a bit of a pointed chin. She had all the right curves with a soft waist and high firm breasts. The clothes she wore often enhanced her hourglass figure. She defied the stick look so popular by embracing her curves and actually enjoying eating. She loved to cook as well, which might be why she loved to eat. The girl was extremely intelligent. She was getting her masters in history, loving the subject, and hoping to become a curator at a museum one day.

She stretched as the rain pounded outside her window. She would have to thank her brother profusely for letting her stay there for a while. She hadn't yet. _Oh, well. He gets my cooking and that should be thanks enough._ She swung her legs over the bed, her feet hitting cool hardwood. She stretched her arms once again, pushing herself off the bed. The wood felt good on her feet after the bunch of blankets piled on her bed to combat the cold that sometimes crept up on summer mornings. She walked into the kitchen to find her brother already up with the coffee perking.

Maat sat down at the table while her brother placed a mug of the strong brew in front of her. She gripped the handle and sipped it delicately so she wouldn't burn her tongue. Danny did the same, sitting in silence for a while. He glanced over at her, and laughed.

"What?" She glanced up from her distant, blank stare.

"Nothing. I just kinda miss this. Remember when we were little and Mom and Dad would do this?"

"Not really. I was little when you would do this with Mom and Dad. I miss them." She looked into her coffee nostalgically.

"I do too." He got up to refill his coffee. "You need to start getting ready. We're leaving in an hour."

"Ok. Thanks for the coffee Danny." She nearly shouted as she walked down the hall.

Danny watched her as she went. He loved his sister and was more than glad to let her stay. She could cook like no one he had ever met before, with the exception of their mother. But, she was so naive and spacy. How could he possible protect her? She was one of the reasons he had started this in the first place. True, they had never been extremely close as kids because of the age difference, but he had loved her and wanted to protect her like all big brothers do. He went to get dressed himself as his thoughts continued along these lines.

Maat walked out of her room in a sweeping, soft dress. The skirt fell to her knees and the top modestly displayed her goods with a bunched straight neckline. It was a deeper, rosy pink that accented her eyes. The chiffon it was made of rustled in a fetching way, only adding to her charm. She kept her hair down, and pulled on her mother's old hunter green coat to combat the unusual early morning July chill. Her neck was graced by a simple faux pearl necklace and matching drop earrings.

Danny came out into the loving room to see his sister looking more lovely than he had ever seen her. He told himself not to worry and they headed out into the steady rain that had been hanging around the city for the last few days. It didn't take them long to get into Veidt's office. He was finishing up an interview for an impressive magazine when he saw them.

"Thank you for you're time. If you will please excuse me, I have other matters to attend." Veidt dismissed them very properly, but his annoyance was showing through.

Adrian Veidt was an impressive man. At a good 6 feet plus, he was taller than Dan and absolutely towered over Maat. He had blonde hair, gazing blue eyes that looked right to the soul, and an astounding physical build. Adrian's presence took up much of the room in his office, making the siblings feel swamped. He had on a navy suit with a white tie, making things stand out on him by Maat better left unnoticed. The smile he dashed them was straight, even, and a bright white making Dan feel blinded. But, the genuine pleasure made Dan and Maat feel a little guilty.

"Dan. What a pleasure to see you again. And who is this lovey creature?" A noticeable difference in Adrian's voice became apparent as he talked to them. A German accent was more profound, as if this was truly who he was.

"This is my sister, Maat." Dan put a protective arm around her shoulder. Now was the time to act like a brother. He had no hard feelings against Adrian, but this was his sister.

"Is that short for anything?" Adrian asked looking at Maat with an intense gaze. "Matilda?"

"Oh, no. It's just Maat. We tend to butcher the pronunciation, but I'm named after the Egyptian goddess for-"

"Truth, justice and order. She is shown with a feather that is said to weighs the hearts of those who have died in order to deem them worthy of the after life. The most revered even among the gods." He finished for her.

"Um, yes. You know a lot of Egyptian mythology?" She looked around her for the first time.

"Ha. You could say that." He swept his hand through his blonde hair then loosened the white tie around his corded neck. "If you'll excuse me for a moment. Make yourselves comfortable." He went into a small bathroom area off to the side of the office.

Dan took a seat in front of Adrian's desk while Maat went to stare out the floor-to-ceiling windows behind it. The rain beat on them even this high up. She stared in open fascination at the drops of water cascading down when Adrian came back in. He looked at her, then back to Dan wondering why the visit.

"Enjoying the view?" Adrian asked coming up behind her to see what she was looking at. He caught a whiff of her hair, reveling in the soft floral scent.

"No, actually. I was staring at the rain. It's different up here. It's not yet reached the conscious of someone on the ground looking up, but we see it here. It might not even be rain yet. In the way we think of it, that is." She kept her warm green eyes transfixed on the droplets dotting the window.

To say Adrian was impressed might be an understatement. This girl obviously had some great intelligence in her, her metaphysical thinking showing him just how she thought the world ticked. He knew exactly what she had been talking about with the rain. _Someone to understand...._

Dan coughed in his chair. Adrian turned around, having completely forgotten about the man, Maat's brother. Maat continued to stare out the window while Adrian took his seat behind the surprisingly simple desk. He sighed, the weight of a corporation on his shoulders and so much more to worry about. There was all the work he was doing with Manhattan, the troubles with the media...Dan coughed again. Adrian needed to stop wandering off like this. He might do it one day and that would be the last of him.

"What can I do for you Dan?"

"I just came by to see how you were doing. There are some things going on that we need to talk about." Dan's voice was serious. His eyes were heavy as well, the weight of a million different things weighting him down as much as Adrian even if they weren't as important.

"Should we do this here?" He asked, nodding back to Maat.

"I know who you are, Mr. Veidt. I stumbled upon my brother's dirty little secret, and oh it was dirty." She never took her eyes off the window.

"Oh, is that so Dan?" There was genuine humor in his eyes. Dan laughed at the notion.

"Yeah, it is. I haven't used Archie in a while, so there was quite a bit of dust. Maat, she went down the wrong set of stairs and found it. She promised not to tell my secret as long as she got to meet the other supers." He finished, lightly laughing at his own misfortune.

"Hmm...so you were a fan of us?" Adrian wanted to turn around to face her, but he knew she was still lost in her own thoughts. Her attention skills were amazing. Not nearly as good as his own, but there nonetheless.

"Yes. I always followed the stories and a few of my friends were in love with my brother without my knowing. It's strange to find this out now." She looked at them then.

The sight was comical. Adrian with his suit jacket off, tie gone, and collar undone. His sleeves were even rolled up to his elbows. Dan looked almost sick, the poor man. He was looking at her with a pleading look in his eyes to save him from conversation with Veidt. Under other circumstances, they would have been able to converse normally, but it was a terse and uncomfortable affair today.

"What was it you wanted to tell me, Dan?" Adrian asked as if sensing this dilemma.

"Have you heard anything from the rest of the Watchmen?" Now it was all business for the men.

"Not besides John and Laurie. And now you. Why? Is something wrong?"

"No, I've just been a little worried. There's something going on, or there will be. I can feel it. Like when we'd go out for a night and there was just that feel of something brewing in the air..." Dan left the sentence hanging, clearly reminiscing.

Maat looked back again, seeing her brother with a starry look in his eyes, Adrian as well. She hoped they weren't reliving the best times of their lives. For their sakes. They should both have wives, children, relatives, family. She knew she was all her brother had, and he hadn't had a girlfriend in a while. What she knew of Adrian, he was alone as well. Her heart broke for them both.

"Dan, we should be going. I have a lot to do at your house, like clean it up." Maat joked, concentrating on the men instead of the rain.

"Hey, I keep it clean enough." Adrian laughed.

"Well, enough being the operative word. Come on. I'll make your favorite for lunch big brother." Dan got up, Adrian as well. He escorted them to the elevator.

"Thank you so much for seeing us. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Veidt." Maat extended her hand to shake his, but he caught it and brought it up to his lips, kissing it as softly as possible.

"Please, call me Adrian." He told her as he lowered her hand. Maat's eyes grew bright as an idea bloomed in her head. "The pleasure was all mine."

"Why don't you join us for lunch? That is if it's ok with Dan. I'm making spaghetti and homemade french bread."

"I don't know Maaty. We might not be able to." Dan was flustering with trying to politely reject the idea, but Adrian beat him to it.

"Thank you, Maat, but I have a lot of work to do today. Maybe some other time." The elevator _dinged_

it's arrival. Dan said his good-byes and they left Adrian standing there, tired and alone.

The ride home was a quiet one. Maat stared out the window as the rain continued to pound on the windows. Dan watched her from time to time, hoping that she was ok. It had been hard on them both since their parents had died. Maaty had only been 16 when they were in an accident. She had been really close to both of them, and pretty distant from him with him coming home only on the holidays. He had been 26 at the time, and starting the crime fighting biz. Maat had been devastated, but she had gotten over it in time. She went off to college soon thereafter, and now she was almost done. He was proud, after all she had been through and still going strong.

Maat jumped when she heard her brother's car door slam. They were home. Before lunch too. Maat was sorry her brother had never found anyone yet. She loved children, and would have been thrilled to become an aunt. Maybe even someday, a mother. But, she had her whole life ahead of her so Maat wouldn't worry about that now. She started making lunch, the bread first. After a few hours, it was ready. The smells snaking their way through the entire house, beckoning the wayward guest.

Danny came out of his room at the exact time she was going to tell him it was ready. They both nearly bumped into each other in the small hall. After the awkward excuses, they both got to the kitchen in one piece.

"So, how'd you like Ozymandias?" Danny asked as he slurped noodles.

" He was...interesting. I don't know. I kinda expected more." She answered staring at her own plate of food, moving the noodles around without much interest.

"Really? Huh. The way you two were looking at each other, I thought I was going to be an uncle." He nearly burst out laughing at the look on his baby sister's face.

Maat normally had pink cheeks, but now her entire upper area was a bright red as the blush spread all over her face and neck. She kept her head down, but if Dan could have seen her eyes, he would have run and hid, they were shooting such daggers. She finally did manage to raise her head, peeking through the cover of black hair to meet her brother's eyes. After a few tense seconds, they burst out laughing. They ate, really conversing for the first time since Maat had gotten there.


	2. Chapter 2

On to the next bit. I'm really sorry if any of the chracters are out of character. I tried to keep them as close as possible, but man! Rorschach is a doosy! I was trying to helm him with the whole Maat scene, but I can't really say it did. But, in the end isn't that what writing is all about? Shaping the characters to what we want? Anyway, I hope you like it. Enjoy!

* * *

The next few meetings went much better than either Dan or Maat could imagine. She generally liked Hollis Mason, seeing as he was Dan's idol. He was just like her brother as well: kind, amicable, friendly. Maat's first encounter with her brother's old partner had her nearly wanting to bite his head off with a few smart remarks, but she understood his view of the world was a little different than hers.

She met Dr. Manhattan and Silk Spectre after a while. She had a hard time with John( as that was his real name she found out) and his nakedness, but she generally liked Laurie. After five seconds, she could tell her brother was in love with this woman. It broke her heart to know that he might never get his chance at happiness because of her. For that, she almost hated the girl. Before Maat had a chance to meet the Comedian, not that Dan would let her, he was murdered.

The months passed by surprisingly fast. Maat and her brother had grown very close in those months. He offered to house her for the remainder of her college year, and even helped her with her tuition. She ended up transferring schools to be able to be with her brother. The ten year gap between the two closed almost as if they had grown up together. Come June, she would be an official junior assistant curator at the National Museum in New York as well as a college graduate.

Through these months, Maat often thought about Adrian Veidt. She found all she could on the man, and he constantly invaded her dreams. She saw him once more in between the time she met him and the time the Comedian was murdered. It was a small thing really. A mere coincidence. She had been walking home from school when she bumped into a man. He profusely apologized, even helping her up. She looked into the startling blue eyes, knowing if she didn't look away, she would fall in love.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Maat." He used the correct pronunciation of her name, making it sound wonderful rolling off his tongue.

"Oh, no. It was my fault really. I wasn't looking." She brushed the dirt off her skirt, and readjusted her bag. "I'm surprised you remember my name."

"It's not one you can easily forget. Here, let me walk you home. A beautiful young woman such as yourself should not be walking the streets on her own."

"Oh, um. Thank you. It's not necessary, really." Maat was blushing furiously. Adrian thought it was extremely fetching on her.

"Please. Let me do this. It would be unbecoming of me if I let you go." Adrian followed closely as Maat tried to get home on her own.

The walk was short compared to the time it would have taken if she had been on her own. He asked how she had been, what she had been up to, and the like. She enjoyed conversing with him, and only wished they could do it more often. He really was the smartest man in the world. The topics they covered were strange to those just passing by, but the merit they held was among those of the philosophers of the ancient worlds. She had never had such an interesting conversation with anyone else in the world. He left her at her stoop, nodding farewell. And that was that.

The next time she saw him was two months after he walked her home. It was October, the weather raining all the time. There were good days, but those were few and far between. The murder of the Comedian led to much scandal and the meeting of Rorschach again. Danny was out on a date with Laurie, much to Maat's disapproval, and she had just gone to bed. She heard a loud _crack,_ then a _bang_ as the front door was busted in. Jumping up, ready to attack ( her brother basically forced her to take classes when she agreed to move in with him) she started down the hall. Noises were coming form the kitchen, rustling, a little cursing. When Maat got in there, she saw him searching for something to eat, his trench coat soaked, his hat bent forward to keep the rain off his face.

"Oh, my God Rorschach! You scared to crap out of me! You could have knocked you know." Maat nearly screamed at him as she clutched her heart.

"Didn't know anyone home." He stared at her as much as he could through the mask.

"What do you want, Rorschach?" Maat leaned against the counter, her long, button-up shirt creeping up her thighs.

"Something to eat. Whose shirt is that? Your boyfriend's?" Rorschach was looking at her threw the mask, wondering how Dan would stand for that, in his own house.

"It was my father's you asshole." Maat sighed heavily. She could not be believe she was about to ask this. She ran her hand through her thick black hair, pushing it out of her eyes. "What do you want to eat?"

"What? What are you talking about?" Rorschach's deep, raspy voice echoed in the kitchen.

"I mean, what do you want to eat? I'll fix it for you." She was loosing her patience.

"No, beans good." He looked down at the table. No one had ever wanted to cook for him.

"Well, you're out of luck. We have some leftover macaroni and if that's not enough, you can have your beans. Sound ok?" She was already getting the container out of the fridge being careful not to let much show from under her pajamas.

"Uh." The grunt was all she would get. She accepted that as a thank you and went on with her work.

Maat pulled out a pan and turned on the gas stove. She emptied the contents in the pot as Rorschach watched meticulously like she would poison him if he looked away. After a day with him, she probably would. It took a few minutes to heat up, and she swept the macaroni into a bowl, pushing the salt and pepper in his direction. He took the bowl and spoon Maat had offered, starting to shovel it down with gusto.

"Mm. Good." He managed to get that out in between mouthfuls.

"Haha. You're welcome, honey. If you give me some notice I can make an even better meal."

"Mhm. Don't know." He stopped for almost a second before he shoveled another huge spoonful into his mouth. Maat sighed.

"You're not alone, you know. You have friends, people who care. They would do so much for you if you only let them. You keep people out, so you don't get hurt. Because when you get hurt, it's too much. It's better to just coast by as a jerk rather than someone who gives a damn. I know you've seen the underbelly of the city, how horrible it is. But, you have to understand that sometimes we have to risk love, risk loosing it, in order to fully appreciate it. To see that and never see the good is like only eating the sour, never knowing the sweet." Maat finished her tirade, throwing her hands on her thighs. "You can look at me like that all you want, it won't do any good." Her hands were now firmly planted on her hips, making her a mighty force to be reckoned with.

"What are you talking about now?" His voice held concern that she could really see how he looked at her. She wasn't beautiful, but he admired her , and her courage.

"Your mask. It makes certain patterns around certain areas with your emotions. You care sometimes, don't you?" He grunted in reply. "Whether you want to believe me or not is up to you, but please, come to dinner one night. Not Rorschach, but you, whoever you are. I'll make whatever you want, coffee, dessert, the works!"

"No, thanks. I have more important things to do." He turned his head back to the bowl, finishing off the mac and cheese.

"Right, like going and kicking some poor kid's butt because he made one small mistake as a first time drug user."

"Exactly."

At this moment, Dan decided to burst in on the lovely scene between the two. He looked around, his gaze returning to Maat and her button-up nightie. It had been their father's shirt. Now it reached her mid thigh, almost like a dress. Her black hair hung loose and wavy. She was a sight.

"Whatever. I'm tired and arguing with you is not helping my mood. Goodnight Rorschach," She threw over her back as she started down the hall.

"Whoa! What's going on?" Dan asked, pulling her back.

"Your old partner decided to drop in, ask him." To Rorschach, "You could at least say good-night, jerk." She yanked her arm from Dan's grip, and went back to bed.

"What the hell?" He stormed back into the kitchen.

"I just stopped by to get something to eat. You're sister came in here and offered to make me dinner. I said no, she did it anyway."

"And you had to knock my door out?!"

"Sorry. Didn't know anyone home."

"Why else did you come, Rorschach? You didn't just want something to eat." Maat kept her ear close to the hall corner. She heard it all.

"The Comedian was murdered. Made it look like a suicide. I think someone after us. Watch out Dan." With that he got up and left. "Goodnight, Dan's sister." He left out the door to Dan's lab, Maat standing there astonished. Dan looked back in her direction, then headed after Rorschach.

Maat turned around and went back to her room. She lay on her bed, head in her hands. Her black hair curtained around her, covering the tears that started to fall. Who could someone want to kill the supers? Who would want to kill her brother? He was the sweetest man in the world! And what about Adrian? Who would keep him safe? Never mind that he was the smartest man in the world, or fastest, or whatever. What if someone caught him by surprise?

Dan walked in on her crying. He sat on her bed, pulling her close with an arm around her shoulder. She turned into him, crying into his shoulders. She murmured things about his safety, how they would get through this. He comforted her as much as he could. After a while, she fell asleep. He lay her down and pulled the covers up. She lay there, her hair spread around her, almost like a halo. He loved her, and would do anything to protect her. He knew that now.

The next day, he and Maat went to see if Adrian knew anything. They went up to his office to see him finishing a photo shoot, an interviewer finishing up. He saw them, nodded and continued on with the interview.

"Thank you all for your interest and time. I have other things to attend, so if you will please." He escorted them to the elevator, then came back loosening his tie and pulling off his coat. It was raining again.

"It seems it's always raining when you're around." Maat joked with him, but his face was serious. "I'm sorry." She returned her gaze to the window.

Adrian sat in the corner of his desk, looking much like he had the last time they had been there. He had on a shirt with a dark shirt with a white collar, and he rolled his sleeves as he talked to Dan. They were talking about the whole threat to the supers and if the Russians had anything to do with it. If they did go to nuclear war, if Dr. Manhattan could stop it from destroying us. Adrian's accent was more pronounced alone than when he had talked with others.

"Even Dr. Manhattan can't be everywhere at once. Go home Dan. Take your sister and keep her safe for now. I don't think we have much to worry about yet, but if I find anything, I'll let you know."

"Are you sure, Adrian?"

"Yes. Take her out, she deserves it. Now, go." He shooed us out with all geniality.

The funeral of Edward Blake, a.k.a. The Comedian, was held on a rainy afternoon. There weren't many people in attendance. Just a few superheros, and a few military men. Dan didn't have an umbrella, so they were both soaked. Adrian had offered to shield them with his, but they declined. The service was short, simple. Rain continued to pour on the funeral, making those without an umbrella soaked in mere seconds, and Maat was thankful she had brought her thicker coat. The water running off her single French braid found a way down her back, making her took Dan's hand, leaning in to give him comfort. They started to lower the casket, and he took out a smiling pin. There was a red splotch streaked across it. He rubbed the red stain, then flicked it into the grave so The Comedian would always have the last laugh. The funeral party proceeded out of the cemetery in a line when it was all done and the good-byes were said. Maat looped her arm with her brother's, and they headed home.

A few days later, Maat headed back to Adrian's on behalf of her brother. He wanted to find out if there was anything new, but he had another date with Laurie(who had left Dr. Manhattan). She walked in to the office to see a large group of old men in suits arguing with Adrian. He was keeping his cool, but she could tell it was hard for him. He nodded as she stepped off the elevator, backing up to a wall.

It was hard for him to keep all his attention on this group of old men knowing nothing of what he did. He had seen her get off the elevator, looking like a dream come true. Maat's long black hair was unbound and waved over her face, softening it. He wondered for a second what it would be like to run his hands through it, but he quickly dismissed the thought. Her dress ( she always seemed to be wearing a dress around him) hung loose around her, falling off one shoulder as was popular now. It was becoming of her. It was in a dark purple, his favorite, and she had gold accessories. _Maybe it's a sign..._

At that moment, the other elevator _dinged_ its arrival, a tall man in a purple delivery suit coming out with a brown paper package in his hands. He pulled out a gun and started shooting at Adrian, missing him most of the time. Many of the men Adrian had just been arguing with were now dead, lying on the floor, blood spilling out. Adrian jumped on the man, splashing into the fountain and clamping a hand over the assassin's mouth.

"He's got a suicide pill. Don't bite down you son of a bitch! Give me a name. Who sent you!? Give me a name dammit!" He let go after a minute of this for everyone to see the white foam bubbling out of the assassin's mouth. He died a few seconds later.

Maat watched in horror, her mouth gaping open, but never uttering a sound. She quickly covered it with her hand, but her eyes betrayed her. She stood against the wall, not moving, only staring. Adrian finally remembered her, going to her, taking her shoulders in his hands. _Oh, they were soft and smooth._

"Maat, look at me. Are you ok? Were you hit?" His voice was laced with concern and he hoped those media buzzards would leave them alone. Luckily they did.

"I'm fine. I just, Adrian, they're, they're...dead." She whispered the last word to him and he knew she must be going into shock.

"Come along. We'll go into my office." He lead her into the office, making her sit in his big chair. Kneeling in front of Maat, he made her look at him. "You are ok. It's all over Maatty. There nothing to be afraid of anymore." _Except me..._

"But, those men out there. What if they had families? Who will be there for them? What will happen to their kids? How can they grow up without a father? And what of the poor guy who did all this?" She could hear Adrian's accent becoming thicker.

"Wait. 'Poor guy who did all this'? He was an assassin. How can you feel sorry for him?" Adrian was baffled. Not an easy feat.

"Maybe he was down on his luck and the only thing he was good at was killing. Everyone is good at something, and maybe that was what he was good at. He probably fought in the war and found out his skill, and maybe he had fallen on hard times, down on his luck, and maybe he had kids he needed to feed or put through school, and this was the only way he could get the money. He probably didn't want to do this, but in a way he thought he had to." She rambled on and the capacity of hope and optimism in this girl astounded Adrian.

He had honestly never known anyone with such a beautiful outlook on life. Hell, he had never known anyone with such an outlook at all. With the Doomsday Clock fast approaching midnight, the world had started to see itself as a dark, cold place. He himself thought there wasn't much left in this world to fight for. But here, in front of him was a girl who thought there was. That all life was worth saving, everyone had a good reason for their actions. He was pretty sure she believed a hot meal and a warm smile could change someone's demeanor. _Maybe there is hope for me if she ever finds out...._

Maat got up and stared out the huge window, once again noticing the rain. It hadn't been raining when she came there. Before she could stop herself, she was crying. The thoughts racing through her head made her want to go and give every cop, fireman, paramedic, doctor, and superhero the biggest hug, and make them the best meal for she really did believe a hot, home-cooked meal could change anything. Adrian came up behind her, putting his hand on her bicep. She tried to look away, she didn't want him to see her crying her childish tears. She should grow up, but those tears held merit for her. He took her chin in his thumb and finger, turning her face to his.

"Why are you crying?"

"Because, you and my brother and so many have to see this. Everyday. I wish I could make it all better, keep the images away, but once you see something, it's there forever. I can't make this better no matter how hard I try. I can't and it breaks my heart." She snuffled into his shoulders, trying not to ruin his fancy purple suit.

After a while, when Maat's tears had run their course, Adrian escorted her home. Dan was still at Mason's so, she knew he was ok for the moment. Standing on her stoop with Adrian, she almost felt like a kid again. Maybe he would kiss her goodnight. In the rain. _How romantic!_ He didn't. He turned to walk away as she opened the door.

"Adrian," he turned around, "do be careful. It's a hard world right now, and someone might be out to get you."

"Don't worry. I'll be fine."

"What are you doing tonight? Do you have anyone to go home to?" She asked it so suddenly, he was taken aback for a second. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be so direct."

"No, it's all right. I wasn't planing on anything. Why do you ask?" His perfect English accent was back.

"I was wondering if you might want to come to dinner. You don't need to be alone right now."

"I think I just might. What's on the menu?" He joked with her, a smile creeping up.

"Whatever you want." She unlocked her door going inside. Adrian followed.

The evening went fairly well. Maat made a German stew she found in an old recipe book. Dan and Adrian thoroughly enjoyed and the conversation wasn't as terse as it had first been. Maat smiled on them as she washed dishes, Adrian dried, and Dan put up. It was strange to her knowing that these were powerful men doing menial things.


	3. Chapter 3

Ok, now we are getting closer to the Event, as I like to call it. Actually, it happens in here. Hm...anyway, you're probably gping to ask yourself "Why in the world would he let her do that?" Well, it's kind because he wants Maat to see what he does, and why he did it. But, I'm not going to give away too much. Any questions, justask. Enjoy!

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The days following happened in a blur. Rorschach was accused of murdering an old villain, getting himself thrown in jail. It was revealed that his name was Walter Kovaks, a red headed man with lots of freckles. Maat thought he matched his voice. The world was going to hell as the Doomsday Clock rapidly approached midnight. Dr. Manhattan had left the Earth and had settled on  
Mars. Laurie had started to stay at Maat and Dan's and Maat didn't mind as long as Laurie wanted her brother as much as he wanted her. One night after Laurie had moved in, there was a commotion, waking Maat up.

Walking as quietly as possible, Maat went down the hall to see Laurie doing her make-up in a tight yellow and black latex suit. It was her Silk Spectre costume. Maat rubbed her eyes, ridding them of the fog as well as she could. Her hair hung over her shoulder, further blocking her sight.

"Dan? Oh, Laurie. What's going on? It's the middle of the night."

"Hey, Maat. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. Dan and I are going out." She returned to the mirror.

"Why? Is something wrong?" Maat leaned against the door jamb.

"No, we just need to do this." She headed out to meet with Dan in his lab. Maat followed her staying a little behind.

The look on Dan's face when Laurie came down the stairs was priceless. He had on his Nite Owl suit, making it a little hard to see. But, she could. His face lit up with amazement at the change in this girl, and appreciation for this girl's good looks. Well, that last one might have been because he loved her, but hey... Maat stayed on the landing and stared down at the two. Dan finally noticed her.

"What are you doing up?"

"Heard a commotion. Woke me up." She leaned on the railing.

"Oh, sorry, Sis. You should go back to bed."

"And let you have all the fun?"

"Yeah, something like that." Laurie was already in Archie, and Dan was getting ready to board him himself.

"Well, be careful you too. I don't want to have to plan your funeral." Maat was joking, but there was an underlying seriousness to it. She was deathly afraid she would loose her brother. Danny sensed this, and went up and gave her a hug.

"I would never leave you, Maatty. We'll be careful, I promise."

"I know. Go, have fun, but be safe." She let him go, and it was one of the hardest things she had ever done.

Despite her worry, Maat went into the living room and turned on the television. A rerun of some show was coming on and she quickly fell asleep on the couch. A few hours later, she woke with a start as she heard Archie come in through the old tunnel. She went downstairs to Dan's lab to see him arguing with Laurie and Dr. Manhattan standing naked right in front of Archie's stairs. Laurie took Manhattan's hand and there was a flash of blue light. They were gone when she looked back.

Rorschach was going on about something as she came down the stairs. She ran up to Dan and hugged him fiercely. He returned it with just as much vigor, glad to be home. Maat wrinkled her nose.

"Ugh. Danny, you smell like smoke and," she sniffed. "Sex. Where have you been?" It was a joke of course, but Dan's cheeks blushed a brilliant shade of red.

"We put out a fire and busted an old friend out of jail." He nodded over to Rorschach.

"Mhmm. Hello Rorschach. Would either of you like something to eat?"

"No." Rorschach grunted his answer. Dan nodded his head. "Alright."

Dan got to tinkering with Archie and throwing out ideas about what was happening. Rorschach was starting to say something, Dan firing back a pretty harsh retort. Maat sat by with her chin on her knees and watched the whole thing. After a while, they came up with an idea. A very plausible, very scary, very real idea. They decided to go try and fund a lead Rorschach had be working on.

"I'm going too." Maat piped up. She unfurled her legs, standing up.

"No." Rorschach and Dan said it at the same time.

"Yes I am. You can't stop me Dan. I'm going." She headed for Archie's stairs without any regard for her dress.

"You stubborn mule. At least go get dressed."

"Thank you Danny."

She hugged him again, running upstairs to pull on a bra and some different bottoms, an old pair of jeans. She grabbed a long black coat, which wasn't all that thick, and headed back downstairs. Maat half expected to see Archie and her brother gone, but to her surprise, they were still there. She smiled at the scene, but it quickly changed as she heard they were arguing about her going.

"Hey fellas. Ready?" She hopped into Archie and took a seat. The interior smelled of smoke from the fire that Dan and Laurie had helped with. Both men followed her into the machine. When they got to the bar that Rorschach's lead was in, she tried to get out, but Dan held her back. Rorschach jumped down from the hole in the middle of Archie, landing softly on his feet.

"Why can't I go?" Maat wailed at her brother.

"It's too dangerous. I won't have you hurt or worse killed on my watch."

"Dan, now listen-"

"No, you listen. This is dangerous. I can protect you under normal circumstances, but this is not it. Please, just do it. We'll be back soon."

As Rorschach and Dan came out of the bar, Dan was livid. He pushed a remote button and Archie automatically lowered to let them in. Maat sat in Dan's seat, but quickly jumped up when she saw the look on his face. There was such anguish, hurt, pain, and anger. So much anger. She looked to Rorschach for an answer.

"Hollis Mason murdered."

"Oh, no. Danny, I'm so sorry." She went up to him and hugged him, lending all the support she could. "I know you two were close."

"He was my idol, Maatty. He's gone." Dan hugged her back, just holding her in the least awkward position because of his suit.

"What did you find?" Maat pulled away, her face searching his to make sure he was alright.

"Janie Parker worked for Pyramid, the same company as the assassin, and Moloch. We think that Adrian's people might have the answer." Dan told her, going to sit a the controls of Archie.

"That's were we're headed now?"

"Yeah." Rorschach took his place next to Dan in the passenger seat.

Maat waited in Archie as the men searched Adrian's office. She couldn't do that to the man, but she knew it had to be done, so she didn't blame her brother. They came back, livid and astounded. Both rattled on about how this was all Adrian's doing, he was responsible. Dan set the course and headed for Antarctica. She sat in the back as the two men talked about how this had all come about. Maat listened halfheartedly

She could not believe that Adrian would do something like this. Was he really so cold? Could he be capable? No, he couldn't be. He was trying to better the world. He was a vegetarian for goodness sake! He had been arguing with those men that day at his office to try and get better fuels into the world. Why would he kill the Comedian, and all those other people?

Before she knew it, they had reached a long, white coast. Her heart raced as they neared a ledge, Dan yelling out in alarm. Apparently, Archie was freezing up.

"Do something Daniel! Pull up!" Rorschach yelled at him.

"I'm trying! Hold on to something!"

They managed to get Archie over the cliff with minor injuries to both the machine and it's passengers. After making sure everything was ok, Dan set the flame thrower to heat the engines and stop it form freezing. He pulled out a white fur cloak and swung it on. Him and Rorschach left the aircraft in a _whoosh. _Before they left for the tall, dark building resembling the ancient Karnak, Dan told his sister there were blankets in the hull.

"And don't leave Archie. No matter what. I want you safe. And we may need a quick getaway." He was joking with her, but she could hear the truth in the words.

"Be careful Dan. You too, Walter." She shouted to them as they left.

She went back into Archie, grabbing the blankets Dan had left for her. She shook in the cold, but withstood it. After a while, the flame thrower heated the inside of Archie, making it easier for her to keep warm. She worried about all her friends, her brother. She happened to look out one of Archie's "eyes" and saw a giant blue haze forming into a man by the building. It was Dr. Manhattan! She wrapped the blankets as well as she could around her in her thin black coat and hopped out. She would help her brother, no matter what.

The cold hit her like a brick wall. She tried to run, but the air was so cold, it burned her lungs so much that it hurt to breath. She stopped, so close to Karnak, and walked as fast as she could. When she got there, she stopped to rest for only a second. She pulled open the door to the building, and saw her brother standing there at the bottom of the stairs, Adrian in his Ozymandias suit, laying on the floor. Laurie was standing a few steps up, holding a gun. She took in the scene, no one noticing her there.

Adrian opened his hand, the creak of leather audible in the silent room. He held a bullet in the palm. Maat could barely see it form where she was, but she gasped. Everyone looked at her. Adrian took this opportunity to kick Laurie into the stairs. Dan immediately went to her side. Adrian scoffed at his "schoolboy heroics", saying the only thing he had succeeded in was failing to save the world. Maat didn't understand. What was going on? In the middle of all this, Manhattan reached through the glass pyramid of the ceiling and pushed Adrian down.

"I am disappointed in you Adrian. Very disappointed." He was shrinking now. "The world's smartest man poses as much of a threat as does the world's smartest termite." Adrian had backed up against the stairs, pulling put a triangular remote. "What is that? Another ultimate weapon?"

"You could say that." His voice held the German accent instead of the perfected American one.

A wall full of televisions turned on to the same broadcast. Maat had not noticed the wall before, but it astounded her. A few on the bottom were broken, and she could only guess it was from a fight that had happened earlier. President Nixon was on every channel.

"We are all devastated by the horrible attacks from Dr. Manhattan, but we are pulling together. I have been in constant contact with all of our leaders in the world. We have united, in order to stop this threat, as one people, not as different nations." The devastation of so many large cities was shown, as were clips from the peace agreements.

"Wha-what is going on?" Maat asked, sidling up to her brother. She dropped her blankets. She was freezing, but this was more important.

"He destroyed the world. Killed millions." Dan told her, staring at the TVs.

"To save billions." Adrian finished.

"Oh, my God." Maat put her hand over her mouth in horror.

"You see? The world is at peace now."

"Peace built on a lie." Dan yelled at him.

"But peace nonetheless." Adrian argued.

"He's right." Manhattan said softly. "We must remain silent."

"I made myself feel every death, see every innocent face I murdered or the sake of peace." Adrian was staring at the wall of televisions. Maat's heart broke for him, for the world.

There was a whole argument over the fact that the world was at peace. Rorschach hated the idea, saying not to compromise. Never compromise. The peace was based on the murders of millions of people, and it was not justified. Even Dan agreed with Adrian. Maat could not make up her mind. Rorschach was alone. He walked off to tell the world. But Dan tried to stop him. It clicked in Maat's head what would happen if Rorschach tried to leave. They would kill him.

"Rorschach, wait! Please!" Maat rushed after him into the cold. He turned to face her.

"I won't go back in there. The world needs to know, Maat."

"I know. I just wanted to tell you, you should let me cook for you sometime soon. You should have let me cook for you the last time I saw you, but you are as stubborn as I am sometimes." She was trying to give him hope, to show him a future both knew would never exist. For that, he would always love her.

"You're right. I should have." He started to walk again. Manhattan was now outside. Maat grabbed his arm.

"Wait. Can I see your face? The one under the mask?" He hesitated for a second, then pulled off his hat, and then slowly his mask. He had freckles, just like his picture. He was taller than her, but just barely. His spiky red hair messy from the mask, a beard starting to grow thickly in. Bruises and cuts from the arrest and prison were scattered around his face. " I've met you before haven't I? Or at least seen you?" She stopped to think, then it hit her. He had been at the funeral. " You were at The Comedian's funeral. You were outside with the sign." He nodded. "You look good. You should let the world see you more often, find a good girl. After you healed up of course." He laughed. It was a strange sound coming from Rorschach, deep and rumbly. She never would have thought to hear him laugh. She went onto her tip-toes, and took his head in her hands. Tears were starting to spill over in her eyes. She kissed his forehead with a gentle peck of her soft lips. " It was a pleasure to meet you." She ran off crying into the building. The walls did nothing for the cold. After a few minutes, she heard Dan howl in pain. Maat tried to stop the tears, but they had a will of their own.

Manhattan told Laurie he was leaving the galaxy. He kissed her and in a flash of blue light, was gone. Dan came rushing in, his hood pulled off, goggles gone. He went straight to Adrian tackling him into the wall of televisions, breaking even more. He punched him again, and again. "Come on." Adrian just took the hits. "Come on."

"Dan, in a world full of peace, there has to be sacrifice."

"Don't you get it? You didn't save the human race, you mutilated it! That's the joke." He left Adrian alone, setting out to get Laurie and Maat. Archie was waiting outside the doors. Maat paused, looking back at Adrian. He stood in the center of the room, shattered glass around him, alone. He bent his head, and went to stare at the television wall again.


	4. Chapter 4

Here's where my story really kinda takes on it's own life. I really hope you enjoy and don't just go WTH? I wrote this thing in about a month, most of the time pretty late at night. So please forgive any errors. I am practicing to become a romance novelist, so forgive me if this sounds too sappy or overdone. Enjoy!

* * *

Maat's head raced with indecision. She knew she should go with her brother, but she also knew that even if Adrian had killed so many, he needed the warmth of another human being. Her brother might kill her if she decided to stay, but she had to. She loved this man. He needed her, and even if he didn't feel the same way, he at least liked her as a friend. She stopped in the doorway. Dan turned back after a few seconds to see she wasn't following him.

"Are you coming?" Laurie looked back as well, wrapped in Dan's fur cloak. Maat looked back at Adrian, then at Dan.

"No, Dan. I think I'm going to stay."

"What? No, you're coming with us." Dan took her arm.

"No, Danny. He needs me. I, I love him. Even if he doesn't love me, he needs someone."

"Dan, you can't argue with someone in love. Let her go. She can protect herself." Laurie tried to help Maat's cause, knowing how Adrian needed human contact.

"Not against him. I've fought him, and I'm stronger than she is. Please, Maatty."

"No, Dan. He won't hurt me. I'll call you if I need anything. Trust me Dan." Maat touched his arm in a comforting way.

"Ok. If you need anything, or he does anything, you call me in a heartbeat. I hope you know what you're doing, sis."

"Thank you, Dan." She hugged him, then Laurie. "Keep him safe. He loves you."

"I will." They left.

Maat took a deep breath then walked over to where Adrian was standing. For once, he had let his attention down. She walked gingerly, avoiding all the glass, ending up behind him without him even noticing. She tapped his shoulder. He turned around astonished.

"You should come in, you'll catch your death out here in the cold." Maat's voice was soft. She was trying to coax him inside.

"What are you doing here?" He returned to the wall."You should have left with your brother."

"I know. That would have been the easier thing to do, but you shouldn't be alone."

"I don't deserve company."

"No, you don't, but you do need it. No matter how many titles you have; the fastest man, the smartest, the richest, it all comes down to one thing: you're still human." She was trying. Oh,she was trying.

"Why? Why are you here?" He finally turned back to Maat.

"Why? Because," she sighed. "Because I love you." He scoffed at her, the wounds on his mouth opening even more. "You don't believe me."

"No. You love the power, the mask...the money." He turned back to the wall.

"No I don't! Look at me!" She grabbed his arm and turned him around. "I love you. Not Ozymandias, not the money, not the CEO. You, Adrian Veidt. Is that so hard to believe?"

"I don't deserve to be loved. I'm a mass murderer. I have killed 15 million people, and yet you still make your deceleration. Why?" His hair fell in his eyes. Maat reached up and brushed it away with a loving caress.

"No, you don't deserve love or me." He looked at her with incredulous eyes. "I'm not making myself seem important if that's what you were thinking, but I meant the human contact. Not right now at least. But I love you because, you're smart, funny, handsome, charming, caring, observant. You try and better this world, even if it hurts you, or other people. " She walked away from him. It was hard being this close.

"Wait, please." He reached out, catching her hand.

He pulled her close to him, mere inches away form her lips. How long had he dreamed to kiss those lips, full and pink as they were? He'd lost countless nights wishing, thinking maybe one day... and now it was upon him. A soft, delicate creature loved him, wanted him, and what was he doing? Chasing it away. It was hard to imagine this as possible. He drank in the sight of her, black wavy hair falling around her shoulders and waist. Her bright green eyes were moist with unshed tears. The oversized button up shirt was a deep purple that billowed around her like a dress, and the jeans she had on were threadbare at most. The thin coat she had didn't do much for the cold which he just now noticed. His Ozymandias suit had built in climate control, but she must be freezing! This thing, whatever it was, was getting in the way of his skills, or else he would have noticed all that before.

"Come on. Let's get you warmed up. You must be freezing." He saw the slight chatter of her teeth.

He pulled her close to his suit. The feel of the material on her cheeks made her shiver. Adrian mistook it for a cold shiver instead of just a chill. They left the open room with all the ancient replica statues, the poem of Ozymandias, and the wall of TVs. He directed her to a cache of rooms off the side of the main building. They were his personal quarters for when he was doing his research.

There was a small kitchenette, with an oven, microwave, sink and plenty of cabinets. A dining room, with a table for four, a living room area with another television, a comfy looking couch, an overstuffed love seat with blankets over the back all interconnected around the hall right off the door. A mahogany coffee table graced the center of the living room, a magazine, a newspaper, and a remote were settled on the top of it. A bathroom was off to the left, with a big claw-foot bathtub and a personally designed Egyptian shower curtain. The bedroom was off to the right. A large king-sized bed was made up by deep purple sheets with gold edging, messed up and wrinkled as if the person who had slept in them actually hadn't. Gold pillowcases were at the head of the bed, a gold coverlet at the foot. Two mahogany nightstands were on either side with a brass lamp on both. Books littered the place around his bed, as well as countless notebooks. A matching dresser was by a window, and a taller dresser sat in the corner. A small, hidden room was later revealed as a library with all the classics, biographies on Alexander of Macedonia, ancient Egypt, and even a few romances.

Maat reveled in the simplicity of it all, but in a way it was more extravagant than she could ever have imagined. She took it all in with wide eyes, an open smile. For some reason, Adrian was proud of it. He went to the thermostat and turned up the heater, using the energy he had created to destroy the world. He noticed that in the apartments, Maat was warmer, her shivering had stopped almost completely. _She needs a warm bath. She might get sick if she doesn't warm up._

"You need a bath." He said it out of nowhere. She sniffed her arm.

"I do? Do I smell that bad?" He laughed, hard. Despite today's events, he was laughing. _I must be losing it_.

"No, it's not that. You might catch a cold if you don't get thoroughly warmed." Thoughts raced through both if their minds on how to properly, and thoroughly warm her up. Maat blushed deeply.

"You're one to talk. I told you to get out of the cold first.

"I'm not the one in an old shirt and threadbare jeans and has been in an open room in the Antarctic."

"True. Ok, how about this? I take a bath, then you and while you are, I'll cook supper." He considered her proposal for a second, then nodded his head.

"Sounds good to me." He went into the bedroom, motioning for her to follow. Maat's heart beat rapidly at the thought he wanted to take her to bed now, but she calmed herself down saying that he had never expressed interest. She followed him in there and he pulled out a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt from his dresser. He handed them to her and she took them graciously.

He then made her follow him to the bathroom where he started to draw up a bath for her. He looked silly doing it in his costume. He sat on the edge, gloves off, testing the water with strong hands every now and then. It was finally hot enough, and he put in the stopper. Adrian stood up, went to a cupboard, pulled out a plush towel in, you guessed it, deep purple. A light gold washcloth came next, along with soap scented soap. He left her in the bathroom, heading towards his room. She shut the door.

When Maat got to the tub, it was barely half full. She felt the water then pulled back her hand. It was kinda hot. She turned the hot tap to a smaller flow, then turned on the cold one. She felt the temperature and nodded to herself that it as just right. She started taking off her clothes, unzipping the jeans, and wriggling out of them. Next her shirt, unbuttoning it with numb fingers, but recovering their feeling. Her bra and panties were quickly stripped next. She hurried up and got into the bath tub, turning off the water. The bathroom was thick with steam. She bundled her hair up, then lay back and relaxed. Before she had a chance to fall asleep, she washed up, thankful that she had shaved the last time she had taken a shower. Then, she lay back on the tub. It was so nice..warm...comforting....

A loud knocking woke her up. She had slowly been slipping down the tub's side as she slept. If she had continued to sleep, she probably would have drowned.

"You ok? You've been in there for a good hour." Adrian's voice practically boomed into the small room.

"Yeah, fine. I'll be out in a few minutes." She told him this as she got out of the tub, water dripping down her body in thick rivulets.

Maat wrapped the towel around her, drying off as much as she could. She put her lingerie on first, then tried the shirt. It was huge on her! She rolled the sleeves up and just tried to go with it. The pants luckily had a drawstring. She tied them tightly around her waist. All in all, she looked pretty good, kinda the I'm-in-my-boyfriend's-clothes-and-we're-totally-at-this-stage way. She let her hair out, the thick back locks were wavy from the bun she had had it in along with the steam. She let out the water, then hung up the towel and washcloth. She started running hot water again for Adrian as he knocked again.

When she opened the door, he was standing on the other side, his hand up to knock. He had on a pair of red plaid pajama pants, like her green ones, and nothing else. He had a muscular chest with curly blonde/brown hair covering most of it. His arms were thick, and his biceps stood out with amazing detail. The veins in his arms popped in vivid clarity and his hair hung right in his clear blue eyes.

They awkwardly switched places, and he closed the bathroom door, as she tried to get the glorious image of him out of her head. She decided to call Dan and tell him she was ok. Finding Adrian's phone, she dialed the number by heart. Dan picked up after a few rings, sounding sleepy.

"Hello?"

"Hey Danny."

"Maatty? Are you ok? Did he hurt you?" His voice was alert now, on edge.

"No, no. I'm calling to tell you I'm ok. Adrian's been good to me. I just got out of the shower, and am about to make dinner."

"And you're sure, you're ok?"

"Yes, Danny. I'm fine. I got to go. I need to make dinner. Bye Danny. I love you."

"I love you too. And if he does anything you don't want him to, you call me."

"I will. Bye." She hung up thanking her brother and wishing him well. She was glad his house hadn't been in the radius blast.

Maat went to the kitchenette and started rummaging for supplies. She found a recipe book and flipped through, She saw a particularly good looking recipe, deciding to make it when she checked for all ingredients. The smells of the food were tantalizing, calling to Adrian to hurry up so he could eat. She sang while she cooked, one of her favorite songs.

"You must remember this, a kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh."

Adrian heard her while he was taking a bath. It was on of his own favorite songs, and he listened intently to her singing. She wasn't great, but she was good. He started to sing along with her, not even realizing it. Maat didn't hear herself over the sounds of her cooking, nor did she heard Adrian. She poured her whole heart into the song.

He did actually come out sooner than Maat thought. He sniffed the air appreciatively then came around the corner. He had a his towel around his shoulders and was still drying his hair. He had on a shirt this time, but the image had been seared into Maat's brain. She finished up the food, fixing them both a plate and a glass if tea. Adrian took his,glazing his fingers over hers, a tingle of electricity passing between them. They sat at the table in the dining room, passing the time comfortably. The conversation was, as it always was with Adrian, interesting and intellectual.

The thought that this could happen everyday for them crossed Adrian's mind. He loved talking to this girl. She was original, and had different concepts than him. It would be interesting to see her view on many of the things he had worked on for almost his whole life. What would it be like to do this under different pretenses? What would happen if he kissed her for such a great job on the meal? Or played with her feet under the table like young lovers? She would be a young lover. He wasn't. His mood went down at the realization that if he did love her, and he did, but if he acted on it, he would trap her young spirit in something that would only bring her down.

Maat noticed the decline in interest in Adrian after a certain time. They were finished with dinner, the apartments cozily warm. She washed as Adrian dried, their conversation continuing. She saw, for the briefest of seconds, a scene just like the one now, only a small boy with her black hair ran into the kitchen in his pajamas. He had just had a bath, his hair still damp. Adrian turned around lighting fast, and swooped him up into a swirling hug. The boy giggled and if she looked closely, saw he had his father's eyes. Adrian put the boy on his shoulders and walked down the hall to his room. It was full of spaceships and dinosaurs, like a little boy's room should be. Adrian plopped him on his bed, then helped the boy scramble under the covers to beat the cold. He kissed him good-night while Maat watched from the door. She went in after Adrian and repeated the action. She turned on his night-light, then left the door open just a crack. They both went back to the kitchen to finish the dishes. Just like that, it was gone. Maat almost wanted to cry at its dissipation.

The dishes done, both felt the day wearing on them. They were so tired, but Adrian couldn't help except agree with Maat. He had needed this, needed her. He was afraid if she hadn't been there, he would have gone mad. He knew he had been justified in doing what he did, but it still weighs on the soul. She lifted that weight, lifted his soul. He wanted to show how much he appreciated what she had done for him, to show her he loved her.

Maat was walking ahead of him, her hips swaying almost musically. She started to hum "As Time Goes By" without noticing she was doing it. He started to hum it too. She reached the living room , laying on the couch and thinking this was where she was going to sleep. He stopped after he saw where they were.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting ready for bed. Why? Wear are your extra blankets?" Maat looked around as if they would magically appear.

"You're going to sleep in here?"

"Yes." She was baffled. Did he want her in his bed?

"Oh. They're um, this way." He went to a small closet off the hall.

When he opened it, there were shelves of thick blankets crowded together. Maat followed Adrian to the closet to see which blankets she would need, stopping dangerously close to him. He pulled one down and turned around to see her there, so close. He could smell her soap, making it her own special scent. His clothes looked amazingly sexy on her, and again, she made them her own. Her hair was soft, he could feel it brushing against his arm. She shyly glanced up at him, and he couldn't resist any longer.

Adrian bent down to kiss Maat, dropping the blankets in the process. She was as sweet as he imagined, even sweeter. She opened for him, grasping his neck, threading her hands through his hair. His hands roamed her back, her thighs, and everywhere in between. She fit him, almost perfectly. He lifted her up, without even realizing he was doing it. He backed her onto the wall, grasping her with such a ferocious need to be close. She returned the ardor of his approaches with a need equaling his own. After a few moments, they had to stop for air.

Maat was gasping as Adrian let her down. He was too, and it was hard for him to control himself now that he knew what it was like to be with her, even if for just a kiss. She picked up the blankets he had dropped and headed back for the living room. He followed her, confused and scared he had pushed her too far.

"Wait, Maat. Where are you going?" He grabbed her arm, trying to pull her back.

"To bed. You should do the same Adrian." She stared unfolding the blankets and laying them on the couch.

"Did I do something wrong back there? If I did, I'm sorry." He was trying, bless his heart.

But, the truth was, Maat was scared. She had never been with a man before, and on top of that, she was scared that Adrian would just want her this one night, to console him, then be done. Where would that leave her? Heartbroken and used. He probably didn't even like her. He was just caught up in the moment.

Adrian didn't know what was going on. All he knew was he wanted to be with her, to have her with him at all times. They didn't have to make love, he just wanted her with him when he slept. His secretary had always read those sappy romance novels and finally, one day he got one to see what the hype was about. He could not stop laughing as he read it, amazed at how these people called themselves writers, and yet, here he stood, actually aching to have Maat back in his arms. He understood it now.

"No, everything's fine. I'm just tired. It's been a long day."

"Look, you take my bed, and I'll sleep here. It's the least I can do for you after all you've done or me." He took her hands in his, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand enticingly.

"No, I couldn't do that to you. Go on and go to bed." He got up without letting her hand go. He pulled her up with him, and pulled her down the hall. "Wha-what are you doing?"

"You're sleeping in here even if I have to force you."

"But, what about you?"

"That bed is plenty big enough for the both of us to have enough room and not disturb the other."

"But-but-" They were there. In his bedroom.


	5. Chapter 5

Alright guys, last one. Thanks for sticking with me so far. I hope you like the ending, although for some reason, this story was weird for me to write. Again, forgive the aspiring romance writer. I wrote this, then posted it all on one day so you, my dear readers, get to finish it without having to wait five years for aother chapter. Lol. Well, it's been great, thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed, and now, the final chapter.

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The sheets were just as badly messed up as when she had fist seen them. The lamps gleamed in their brassy faces. Adrian moved over to the bed, motioning for her to join him. He turned on both lamps in the room, flooding it with light. Maat cautiously made her way over, heart pounding in her throat.

"Help me make the bed." They pulled the sheets and bedding off. The sheets pooled on the floor in a delicate sea of purple and gold. The top sheet went on first, then the coverlet, and the pillows. Adrian turned down the bed after they were done. He got in the bed, Maat hesitatingly following.

The bed was more comfortable then Maat could have ever imagined. The sheets were soft, supple, and like a dream. The pillows basically swallowed her head up in their own softness. She sank into the bed, all worried gone,but the weariness of the day was finally catching up to her. Adrian reached over her and turned off the lamp. Maat could only see the muscular chest she had seen when she came out of the bathroom after the light was out. He turned off his own, then turned over. Maat did the same, her breathing becoming deep, steady.

Adrian listened intently to Maat's breathing. He wished he could sleep so easily, but the murders he had committed weighed heavily on him. Even Maat couldn't keep away the demons at night. He turned around, watching her sleep. Her black hair fell over her shoulder, slightly in her face. He reached out, gently brushing it back. She shifted slightly moving towards him. It amazed him that she wanted him, even in her sleep. He moved closer to her, trying not to wake her. He draped his arm around her waist, then tried to got to sleep.

"No, no, help, please Adrian, help me!" She was whimpering in her sleep. Tossing and turning, the girl messed up the sheets in the lone bed. "Please, Adrian, NO!" Maat bolted up in the bed, sheets tangled around her legs. Sweat ran down her face, arms, legs. Her hair hung in front of her, the lusty locks now damp. She took her hands and swept her hair back in a silky sheet. She looked around, noticing the bed was empty for the first time. "Adrian?" She glanced around the room.

He was there in an overstuffed chair by the library, book open on his lap. There was a small table by it with an even smaller lamp giving him just enough light to read and not disturb her. His blonde hair fell in his face, one leg crossed over the other. He seemed like a scholar to her. At her call, he looked up.

"Nightmare?"

"Yeah. What are you doing over there?" She pulled the sheets off of her to get some air.

"Couldn't sleep." He went back to his book.

"I told you I should have slept on the couch." Maat rubbed her eyes, then down her face.

"It's not you. I just couldn't sleep. I have...too much on my mind."

"Argh." She flopped back on the bed, exasperated and tired beyond all measure. "What time is it?" She rubbed her face again, flopping her arms down as well.

"12."

"Midnight?"

"No, lunch." Adrian went back to his book.

"Are you serious? It's completely dark outside!" She sat upright again, the sheets pooling in her lap.

"It is the Antarctic, Maat."

"Oh, well that's lovely. I'm so tired. What about you? Aren't you tired after yesterday's events?"

"It wasn't yesterday. It was a few hours ago. And yes, I'm exhausted."

"You need to sleep Adrian." The care in her voice made his heart skip a beat. He made up his mind, marked his page in the book, and turned off the small lamp.

Adrian pulled back the sheets, and once again attempted to go to sleep. Maat snuggled close to him, her intoxicating smell invading his senses. He wasn't touching her, but he longed to wrap her in his arms. A thought struck Adrian as tried to drift off.

"Maat, are you awake?" He looked at her in the dark, the plains of her face memorized.

"Yes, Adrian. What do you need?" She kept her eyes closed, trying to go back to sleep.

"Thank you." He moved closer.

"For what?"

"Staying, when everyone left. For cooking for me, and...and loving me when I can't even love myself." He stopped looking at her, embarrassed by his revelation. She opened her eyes to see him.

"Hey, look at me." She slipped her hand out from the sheets, placing it on his cheek. "You don't have to thank me. I would gladly do it for you, whether you did what you did, or not." He placed his hand over hers.

"I still want to thank you." He leaned in, kissing her softly. Both opened to it, becoming more passionate. Maat realized something, and broke the kiss.

"Wait. I'm tired. Let's go to bed." She pulled away. "Please." Adrian backed off, stunned. What had he done?

"Maatty. Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm just tired."

"No, something is wrong. Tell me." He rolled her over to face him. "Look, I want you. You keep kissing me like there's no tomorrow, and then you stop. Tell me what's wrong."

"You want me for all the wrong reasons. You said so yourself!" She was mad now, her cheeks a lovely shade of angry pink. He thought about what he had said, but he could not come up with a reason.

"What did I do?"

"For the smartest man in the world, you sure are dumb. 'I still want to thank you.' That's what you said. 'I want to thank you.' You don't want me because you want me, you're doing it because you think that you need to thank me and this is the only way you know how!" She turned around in a huff.

Oh, great. How could he prove he really wanted her? He loved her. He wanted to know her better, he wanted to live with her, make love to her, everything. Children with her would be the most beautiful, the smartest. Did he even want to marry her as well? In a split second, he had his answer. Yes, he wanted to marry her, have kids with her, spend the rest of his life with her. The only thought that deterred him was his age. He was older than her, he didn't want to trap her.

"Maat, look at me." he grabbed her waist and rolled her over to face him. He kept his arm there, splayed across her back. "I, I love you. I want you, and I want to be with you. I want to get to know you and I want to, I want to marry you." He paused for a second, seeing the look on her face as he said all this. "I know, it's sudden, but I've never wanted anything like this before. I hesitate telling you all this because I don't want you to be trapped. Living with me, loving me, it's like loving your brother like you love me." He paused, scared to look at her now. He was afraid he would see the rejection, and humiliation. He never expected what he got. She pulled him to her, kissing him thoroughly. He was surprised at first, but quickly forgot it, taking over the lead.

Maat wanted to feel Adrian underneath her hands. She dug at his shirt, pulling it off as he rolled on top of her. The muscular chest she had not been able to get out of her mind was finally hers for the exploring. She ran her hands over every plain, and crevice. She roamed her hands up his chest and over his shoulders, revealing in the smooth, dangerous quality of them. Adrian himself was wrestling with her shirt now. He got it over her head and marveled at the sight before him. She still had on her bra, but her breasts burst forth, almost overspilling. Her skin was smooth and creamy with a flush of pink. Her waist narrowed then expanded to nicely formed hips, and he remembered the flow of them as she walked.

Maat wanted more, and she gave him all she could. After all their clothes were removed, she became frightened. She had never done anything like this and hadn't told Adrian. He probably thought she had done this with as much ardor she was going at him with now. She had gotten pretty much this far once or twice, but never completed it.

"Adrian, wait. Please, wait." She pushed him off of her with her hands on his chest. He looked down at her with confusion.

"What? Is something wrong?"

"I, I've never done this before." She glanced away from him, afraid to see the humiliation reflected in his eyes. But, all he had was compassion.

"Is that all? I was afraid you would tell me you didn't want someone as old as me." The relief was evident in his voice.

"'Is that all?' Do you know what it's like for the first time for a girl? It hurts. A lot."

"I know. I am the smartest man in the world, after all. I'll make it as easy and painless as possible for you. As long as you trust the person you're with, and you're truly ready, it won't be as bad as they say it is. I promise you." He smiled down at her, then kissed her.

She quickly forgot her fears as she was swept up in passion. And he was right. It did not hurt nearly as bad as they said it would. After they finished making love, Adrian lay on Maat's bare chest, simply loving the feel of having someone there for him. She played around with his hair, and it was the first time anyone had done that to him. He drifted off, the conversation they had been having slowly dying as they both felt the emotional and physical stress of the day wearing on them.

When Adrian awoke, it was late. Very late. He looked at the clock on the bedside table. It read: 1:34 A.M. He felt something move on his arm, then looked to see Maat sound asleep in his arms. Her black hair was spread over her bare shoulders and chest. Memories of their lovemaking flooded back to him and he smiled. He had to get a ring for her. There was no way he was going to let her get away now. He slowly moved his arm from under Maat's head, and left to go make something to eat for her when she woke up. He pulled on the pants from the night before, finding them under the bed though having no recollection of how they could have ended under there.

The house was colder than he thought. He turned up the thermostat and went to cooking. The sounds of sizzling eggs wound its way through the house. Maat joined him about 30 minutes later. She was in his shirt from yesterday, it reached all the way to her mid-thigh. Her hair was tussled, and she had a pink glow about her. He looked up at her, his heart starting to race.

"Good morning. How'd you sleep?" He went back to the omelets.

"Great. Like a baby. You?" She rubbed her eyes, then walked towards him, wincing a little as she went. He noticed.

"Same. I thought I would never get a good night's sleep ever again, and you did it on the same night. How are you feeling?"

"It hurts, if that's what you're asking." He chuckled at her directness.

"Yes I was. But you know how to fix that, don't you?" A sly smile crept onto his face.

"How is that, oh mighty one?" She was mocking him, but he loved it. She really did love him for him.

"Do it more. The more you make love, the easier, and more pleasurable, it gets." He put the last omelet on a plate and walked over to her, kissing her neck. She giggled and pulled away. _She's ticklish_. "Breakfast is served." He placed the plate down on the table in the dining room, and she noticed he had the silverware and a goblet in place. A linen napkin was under the silverware adding all the charm she could imagine to it.

"Adrian, this is magnificent. And it smells delicious. Thank you for making breakfast." He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You're welcome. Would you rather orange or apple juice?"

"Apple please." She went to sit down as he went to get the pitcher full of apple juice and poured her a glass. He himself had coffee.

They sat and had their early breakfast, cleaned up, and went back to bed, making love one more time before they fell asleep for a few more hours. Around 7 o'clock, they woke up again, deciding what to do. Adrian went into the living room to watch the news, Maat following him. They snuggled on the couch together, and watched as the world recovered. That was all the news would talk about and Maat felt that if Adrian watched it anymore, he would crack.

"Let's watch a movie."

"Why?"

"Because you don't need to watch this. And I want to watch a movie."

" Ok. What would you like to watch?

"Hm...Ghostbusters?" She looked up at him, those green eyes held all the warmth in the world.

"Never heard of it. What about a scary movie?" He smiled slyly at her.

"A scary movie? Why would we watch a scary movie?" She was facing the TV again, flipping through channels.

"Because you'll hang all over me." He bent down to kiss her as she put the remote down.

"Haha. What scary movie do you want?"

"What about Nightmare on Elm Street?" She got up to get something to drink, and took his glass as well.

"I've been meaning to watch it, but haven't got the chance. What would you like?" Maat was heading for the kitchen, but was stopped by Adrian's feet on the coffee table. "Haha, mister. You better move those feet before I move them for you."

"I'd like to see you try." So she did, putting the glasses down and pulled his feet off the table. He grabbed her by the waist, pulling her onto his lap. He kissed her then pulled away. "I'll get the drinks and the movie."

"Oh, no you don't. You go get the movie, I'll get he drinks."

"And popcorn?" Adrian asked quirkily.

"You have some? Then definitely yes." They went their separate ways, and ten minutes later, Adrian was back, covered in snow.

"There's a blizzard brewing out there." He shook off the snow hanging to his hair and clothes.

"Seriously? I need to call Dan. Is that ok?" She put the popcorn down, along with their glasses.

"Yeah, if you can get the call out."

So, Maat called her brother, telling him she was fine,that there was a storm coming up and she might not be able to call for a while, but not to worry. She was happy and Adrian was taking great care of her. He of course, worried. She hung up, then settled down with a blanket draped over Adrian and herself. She really was scared of the movie clinging to him like he predicted. They drifted off to sleep on the couch.

So the days passed. After a while, Maat couldn't wear Adrian's clothes anymore, so they went to her home to get some of her things. The progress that New York was rebuilding itself with amazed both of them. They visited Dan and Laurie, finding out the wedding was in a month. A Christmas wedding. They told the couple they would be there. While there, Adrian stopped to get a little something for Maat. They went to his penthouse, somehow spared by the blast. It was gorgeous with it's wide floors and open space.

They stayed there for some time,but Maat wanted to go back to Karnak. Now, Adrian was always working to help rebuild New York after the found out he was still alive. Maatty often went over to Dan's on long nights when Adrian worked. They would make love when Adrian got home and he would apologize profusely. One night, Maat had had enough. She loved him, but this was too much.

"Adrian, I'm sorry. I love you, but I can't take this! You're never here." She wasn't going to cry, no.

"Maatty, please. I need you." Adrian was so near her. It would be easy to just forgive him.

"No, Adrian. I need to do this. I wish sometimes we had never left Karnak." Adrian got down on one knee, putting his hand in his pocket. "Adrian, what are you doing?"

"I should have done this a long time ago. I've had it, waiting for the right moment. Please, Maat, just hear me out." She nodded slightly. "I love you. I need you in my life. I know I haven't been the best boyfriend, especially since we got home, but I promise you I will always love you, take care of you, and be there. I might not be home on time, but I will be there. So, will you marry me?"

"Yes, Adrian. I'll marry you." He placed the delicate little ring on her finger. It was a simple gold band with an engraving of an ostrich feather, for Maat's symbol in ancient mythology. "It's beautiful."

"Just like you. You have no idea how happy I am." He kissed her forehead, and held her. "I promise we'll take a vacation to Karnak. Soon."

"I'll hold you to it, or I'll hold out on you." She looked evilly up at him.

"Oh, you are horrible." He kissed her then, and all was forgotten. And so, as December rolled in, Maat and Adrian were engaged.

Maat had another secret she was keeping from Adrian. Laurie was the first to find out, as she was observant about such things and knew what to look for. Maat was over at her and Dan's when she went and threw up, barely making it to the restroom. Laurie showed up at the door, helping Maat with her hair, then getting a cool washcloth.

"So, how far along?"

"About a month." She leaned her head over the bowl again.

"Mhh. I've heard that's the worst of it." Laurie sat down next to Maat, taking her hand. "It'll be ok. Adrian will be a great father." She stared off into space, "So will Dan."

"Laurie, are you?" She nodded. "Ahhh!! We can do all our baby stuff together!"

"I know! I'm not as far along, but our kids will be the best of friends, and grow up together!" The women were excited, but they still had their weddings to plan and had to tell their respective partners.

The rest of the day, they spent on planing ways to tell their lovers the good news. Finally coming up with a plan, Maat left Laurie, closer to her than ever. Adrian was actually home in time for supper that night, and Maat decided tonight was the night. After all, their wedding was only three days away( they had decided on getting married as soon as possible with a small ceremony and reception).

It was now late-December, almost time for Christmas. Laurie had told Dan and he was ecstatic. She had called Maat, with Dan screaming in the background. Maat told her to go ahead and tell Dan the other good news, but to keep it under wraps for now, as Adrian was about to find out. The girls hung up, and Maat finished the extravagant dinner she had planned, telling Adrian she had an "early Christmas present" for him. They finished eating, then on to dessert. Afterwards, Maat went into the living room, pulled out a large ribbon, wrapped it around her abdomen, and tied it in a bow.

"Adrian, if you want your present, come get it." he came in, looking for a large box or something, but not what he saw.

"If you wanted to give me that, you didn't have to go through all that trouble." He wrapped his arms around her waist, nuzzling her neck.

"You know, for the smartest guy in the world, you-"

"-sure are stupid." He finished for her. "So you tell me. Every chance you get."

"Well, I'm not your Christmas present. This is." She placed his hands lower, closer to her womb. He felt the almost imperceptible bump, his hand quickly withdrawing.

"You're pregnant?" Maat turned around to see his face, nodding her head with a huge smile on display. "Are you sure?" Again, the nod. "You're pregnant? Really pregnant!"

"Yes,Adrian. I am pregnant with your child." She laughed at his reaction, feeling the same emotion flood her. He picked her up off the floor and spun her around. She giggled, enjoying this.

"Oh, Maatty, that's, that's wonderful! How far along are you? God, I can't believe I'm going to be a father." He ran his hand through his hair nervously.

"Almost two months. I still haven't gone to the doctor yet, but Laurie and I were planning on going together."

"Laurie too? This is wonderful! We need to tell everyone!" He was practically bursting with joy.

"We will, after we're married. I still have an old fashioned way of thinking, so please wait for the press conference."

"Oh, of course."

And so, a few days later, after the wedding, Adrian announced to the world that he was going to be a father. The wedding went off without a hitch, by the media at least. Maat and Adrian took their honeymoon to the now almost abandoned Karnak. They spent a blissful month of silence and love together, free of work, or obligation. In the summer of '86 a beautiful baby boy was born to Adrian and Maat Veidt. They named him Walter Alexander after Rorschach and Adrian's idol Alexander the Great. A few weeks later, a beautiful baby girl was born to Laurie and Dan Dreiberg. They named her Holly Blake after Dan's idol, Hollis Mason, and Laurie's father. The rest of the watchmen were now watched by those they loved and the question "Who watches the watchmen?" was now answered.


End file.
